Plasma fabrication processes including etch processes may be subject to many problems affecting wafer yield, productivity, reliability, and cost. Such problems include arcing in a plasma chamber, where the arcing may be particle induced. It can be very difficult to diagnose such problems. In particular, diagnosis of such problems may involve opening the plasma or process chamber to the atmosphere. Once a chamber is opened to the atmosphere, the chamber is pumped down, purged, seasoned with as many wafers, and the etch process is requalified on production wafers. This cycle can be very costly in terms of tool utilization and fabrication productivity.